From left, with Westwood's Kaitlin Williams watching the play, Negaunee's Alyssa Hill reaches over the outstretched arms of the Patriots' Ellie Miller and Natalie Prophet to haul in this rebound during their high school game played at Westwood's gym in Ishpeming on Feb. 19. Also watching at right is the Miners' Larissa Anderson. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

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MIDLAND — Area players and teams did quite well when it came to academic awards presented this spring by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan.

Among numerous awards of various types, the BCAM handed out three specifically related to academics — the Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award, Individual Academic All-State and All-State Academic Team.

In all cases, a BCAM-member coach must nominate a player or team.

Marquette's Kam Karp puts up a nearly uncontested layup in the third quarter during a high school game played against Gladstone held at the Barb Crill Gymnasium in Marquette on Feb. 20. Defending for the Braves, from left, are Dayton Bernson, Lucas Hughes, Ryan Polley (partly hidden) and Cam Ballard. (Photo courtesy Daryl T. Jarvinen)

The Academic All-State had the fewest award winners, including just four from area schools in Marquette, Alger, Schoolcraft, Baraga and Luce counties. Award winners must be a junior or senior, have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 and be listed on one of these all-state teams — Associated Press, BCAM Best, Detroit News or Detroit Free Press.

Three were girls players — Westwood junior Natalie Prophet with a 3.99 grade-point average, Munising junior Jenna Matson with a 3.93 GPA and Negaunee junior Alyssa Hill with a 4.27 GPA.

The boys player mentioned was Marquette senior Kameron Karp with a 4.04 GPA.

Fifteen other area players earned Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete awards. Each had to play four years of high school basketball and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.80.

There were eight honorees, including five girls, from Negaunee. The girls were Morgan Carlson, Sierra Hendrickson, Emilia Palomaki and Jillian Skewis, each listed with 4.00 GPAs, and Larissa Anderson, with a 3.96 GPA. The boys were Nick Jacobetti with a 4.30 GPA, Will Luke with a 4.20 GPA and Eli Luokkala with a 3.90 GPA.

Munising's Jenna Matson, left, takes a shot around Bark River-Harris defender Grace Peterson during their Skyline Central Conference girls basketball game played Jan. 14, 2020, in Harris. (Escanaba Daily Press photo by Justin St. Ours)

Five more came from Marquette, four of them girls. The girls were Hannah Young with a 3.993 GPA, Kaleah Puskala with a 3.986 GPA, Averie Kelly with a 3.898 GPA and Olivia McMahon with a 3.802 GPA. The Redman boy honored was Connor Johnson with a 4.24 GPA.

Two came from Ishpeming, both girls players — Jocelynn Nyman with a 3.9145 GPA and Rebekah Loman with a 3.8049 GPA.

Eight area teams, including both boys and girls teams from two schools, earned All-State Academic Team honors. Each team named, which had to have a BCAM-member coach, needed a weighted team GPA of at least 3.30, with those from 3.00 to 3.29 earning honorable mention.

Boys and girls teams were listed separately, while they were further divided by their Michigan High School Athletic Association division.

The highest-ranked team was the Marquette girls, listed fifth in Division 1 with a weighted GPA of 3.941261538.

The Negaunee girls also broke their top 10 as they were eighth in Division 3 at 3.863378136.

Here are other area teams honored, listed with their division, weighted GPA and state rank within their division:

Boys — Marquette, 3.625232558 GPA, 11th in Division 1; Negaunee, 3.645941558 GPA, 15th in Division 2

Girls — Gwinn, 3.667160763 GPA, 37th in Division 3; Ishpeming, 3.655204518 GPA, 38th in Division 3; Munising, 3.538435754 GPA, 45th in Division 4; Westwood, 3.465348123 GPA, 62nd in Division 3.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.